I was introduced to stamping from a friend of a friend that was a demo. At the time I was looking for a new hobby. I had alreasy collected all the yarn there was to buy to crochet and all the Aida cloth for cross stitching. I had dabbled in scrapbooking (even filling up albums) and then my crafting buddy bought me a book on making greeting cards. OMG!

My home office is now my offudio (office/studio).

One of these days I'll quit being shy (okay...lazy) and will upload some stuff. (Good) Picture taking is not my thing.

How did you get here?

jor

02-14-2013 11:35 AM

I was introduced to stamping by a friend as well. She had invited me to a Stampin Up workshop once before but I wasn't able to go. When I went, I was hooked IMMEDIATELY IF NOT SOONER! Within a year I signed up as a demo - just a hobby one, though. My mom and I are my best customers. Although I have a few other friends who now order from me a few times during the year.

Cross stitch was my first love. I still have many projects to start and finish! I was having issues recently - needed new glasses. Now I can read the charts again! I have tried knitting and crochet but have never mastered that. My cousin is constantly crocheting granny squares and making afghans. She doesn't even have to look at what she is doing!

I really only copy cards I've seen here so I don't have much of a gallery. I'm not great at taking pics either!

Scrapjanny

02-14-2013 11:38 AM

For me, stamping was a natural progression from scrapbooking. I started scrapbooking in 2001, and the store where I shopped for supplies also sold stamps and inkpads. They also offered classes. I took a beginner's class one day, and the rest is history.

jukie

02-14-2013 12:16 PM

Hmm can I say I was a stamper from pretty much birth lol! My parents were both 'crafty' and we were encouraged from a young age to create, I remember sitting at the kitchen table with my mum cutting out potatos, inking them up and stamping on paper with them. I was always doing 'something crafty' and I have had a love affair with 'fancy paper' since I was about 5 years of age. Over the years I have done Jewelery, friendship bracelets, cross stitch, painting, sketching, card making, so its in my blood!:o

However, proper full on cardmaking stamping probably happened about 15 years ago, when I was cross stitching and made a couple of cards....and it well kinda, sorta, snowballed/avalanched from there.

weims

02-14-2013 12:17 PM

I started as a scrapbooker. We had dogs, but no kids. I still made lots of scrapbook pages. But I alwasy thoguth stampers, with all their "stuff" seemed pretty weird. So I happily cut with my wavy scissors, stuck my stickers, etc., and avoided the stamps. I think I had one pigment pad and a paw print stamp, but it always smeared.

Then I met a friend at work who was a stamper. She had a workshop. I went to be polite. I decided to make DD's birthday party invites, so I bought Pretty Princess, some Cameo Coral paper and a basic black pad. And got hooked. She became a demo, and I budgeted $50 a month for SU things to satisfy my wish list. Sometimes I even came close to just spending $50.

Now, I buy what I need, and have a good idea of what I like and will use. I have an entire room that's devoted to my crafts, and that's just how I like it.

cardmaker2

02-14-2013 01:37 PM

Almost 9 years ago now, my sister in law invited me to her house for a workshop that her daughter, my neice, was having. She was the demo at the time. So to avoid offending my SIL, I went. I was amazed at how 3 layers of paper and some ink came together and made the cutest little note card. I justified spending about 25$ and ordered a roller, cartridge and roller stamp pad. I think I just picked up cardstock from Superstore or somewhere. She also made a cool gift bag thingy out of a large 9 x 12 envelope and I expected that would be a great idea.

I figured I could made an endless supply of cards and envelopes with that one item! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.......! How misguided can a girl possibly be? I have loved the craft ever since and thanks to hostessing many successful parties/workshops, and selling many many cards, I have afforded to keep my space well stocked and at the ready.

Oh, and by the way, I never use my roller and half a dozen cartridges and stamps.... Go figure.

Biko8666

02-14-2013 01:55 PM

I started some years ago when a girl from work was selling Stampin Up. I bought all kinds of stuff but didn't really know anything about stamping and she only sold the items but never had a demonstration. I would see some of her cards and thought "I could do that:, but I didn't even know the difference between dry embossing and embossing.

Then I found out about this awesome website and literally learned stamping from people here. My only problem was that I would try to make a card like someone, but found I didn't have all the items they had and got frustrated. Over the years, I have finally found the type of cards that is more me, have more items/tools to work with and feel I am better (not great) at making cards. One day soon I hope to have enough courage to put a gallery together.

So a great big THANK YOU to all you wonderful stampers who show so much patience with new stampers.

Crafter 4 Life

02-14-2013 02:58 PM

I have always had to be doing something with my hands. Couldn't watch TV and just sit there. Like the first person, I crocheted, knitted, sewed, quilted, crewel stitched, cross stitched, embroidered, scrapbooked,etc. I had just lost my husband and was wanting to try something new. A friend invited me to go with her to a Stampin' Up party. I bought a kit but it was awhile before I did anything with it.

Paper crafting was a slow process addiction. (I guess a drug user says the same thing. I readily admit I need to go to a stamp/paper/craft store anonymous meeting!) I can no longer seat guests at my formal dining table! My Cricut, die cutting machines, cupboards and shelves occupy that messy room!

I am lucky to have people to whom I give my cards and 3D items to that enjoy receiving them.

I agree that this website has the most generous, encouraging people. Hopefully, my end product has improved from watching tutorial on techniques on this site. Everyone here always says, 'There are no dumb questions' and 'There is no absolute one way to do a technique'.

DianeinSparks

02-14-2013 03:19 PM

My story started over 25 years ago - I had to drop off our office mail pouch after work every day and the closest post office was in a local pharmacy right near my home. There was a pretty display of stamps and stamp pads directly across from the post office window and I was standing in line and thought I'd get one of the stamps, a tiny wreath and a gold stamp pad to decorate the envelopes on my Christmas cards. I loved how they looked on the envelopes and started buying more stamps and ink pads. Whenever my DH and I traveled, I had always found stitchery stores to shop in and I now added rubber stamp stores. The first time I was in a real stamp store, I spent hours there, amazed at all the different stamps from so many different manufacturers. I bought books on rubber stamping/card making and taught myself how to stamp and make cards. When I look back at some of my early attempts I wonder how I could have even mailed them they now look so bad to me. I was fortunate to have bought lots of PSX stamps early on and still have them and use them. So fast forward to 2013, I have hundreds of stamps, the older ones are wood mounted but now I buy mostly cling or clear. I think I've only gotten 2 wood mounted stamps in the last few years. I make all the cards I send - birthday, anniversary, sympathy, get well, and also Valentines, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and more than 60 Christmas cards last year. I still cross stitch and read but I hardly every watch TV so I'm in my craft room either stamping or re-organizing every day. It's my stress reliever and I love it!

dfmorgan

02-14-2013 03:24 PM

When I lived on OR (a long time ago), a local store gave our youth director a wood pumpkin plaque as a piece for a silent auction to raise $ for the youth group. I won it and wanted to see what other cute things they had at this store. I became a regular customer and over time this store became a stamp store. I stopped going in because I just couldn't imagine why anyone would stamp and color in little pictures--to make cards, yet!
So, a few years later one of the CTMH demos offered to do a stamping class at the Women's Retreat on the OR coast. I went, sat down to stamp--feeling obligated--and was hooked.
This dear lady would open her house and studio for her friends and their friends to come in to use her stamps, paper, ink, tools and for $7 we could make as many cards as we could get done in a few hours-and SHE INCLUDED THE ENVELOPES! I was SOOOOOO impressed with her set up and willingness to teach people how to stamp with her stuff that when I moved away to another state, I bought "a million $" worth of CTMH product from her to set up shop in my home to do for my new friends the same thing she did.
That evolved into wanting to learn all I could about new techniques, joining stamp clubs, taking any classes I could from local stamp stores, going to conventions all over the US, etc. Finally, because I'm a teacher at heart, I just started offering classes in my home, which led to teaching at conventions, and now (in my retirement years) I teach a monthly class at our public library once a month.
I can't believe once upon a time I thought stamping and coloring those little images was so stupid and boring.
I've never been a demo for any company because I love the products of so many different companies that I want to be able to use all kinds of products in my classes. I don't sell anything. I just give people who don't want to spend $$ on their own stamping supplies a chance to make cards (although many of them DO have their own FULLY supplied addiction and come just to learn new techniques and meet up with their friends). All this wonderful fun because a very sweet lady introduced me to a fun activity that became a passion--which is also now fueled by SC stampers from all over the world!
Thank you everyone!! I learn SO much from all of you!

smhtwin

02-14-2013 03:39 PM

I went to a luncheon almost 20 years and there was a CTMH (known as "DOTS" back then) demo there showing how to make cards. She had catalogs to look through and was available to book a party with.

I booked a party, had her over to my house and me, my twin and our friends completely fell in love with her!! She remains a family friend to this day and my twin and I just went to her house 2 weeks ago for a workshop and sale.

I buy SU stuff through the fabulous LaLatty on this site and my CTMH demo friend likes looking at the SU stuff too :p

I found this site through the now-closed CardMaker forum. I stamp at my dining room table and my DH knows not to say a word about how messy the table is all the time ;)

Great stories posted above......now who's next??!!

cobby

02-14-2013 04:04 PM

I grew up loving crafts. My Mom taught me to crochet at a young age. I even went to college for Textile Design and learned how to weave on a hand loom. Love, love, love all things crafty and fiber related. Mixing the two together is a BONUS!

I've also had a serious love affair with pens and paper and markers for a long time. In 2003 I was invited to a Stampin' Up workshop. Remember that famous line from the movie "Jerry Maquire"? ...."you had me at Hello"....it was like that. I was a goner.

Signed on as a demo within the week. I had a great time with that for about 2 1/2 years but being my own best customer along with some family changes forced me to drop as a demo at the beginning of 2006. While a demo I found my way to this site; and it sure has grown and changed over the years!! But it's always fun and always a great source of inspiration.

I have a local SU demo whom I LOVE...she's so creative and welcoming. She has an awesome craft space and I love going to classes there. Once I wasn't a demo anymore I expanded my "stamping horizons" by looking into online places like GinaK Designs, Papertrey Ink, Penny Black....oh...and many, many, more. I still don't have the income to allow myself to shop for crafty stuff whenever I want to; but when a birthday or Christmas rolls around I go nuts! I love this hobby!!!

turki

02-14-2013 04:07 PM

Like many others, I have been doing some craft or another all my life. Went through phases of cross-stitching, polymer clay, and painted wood.

My mom started scrapbooking when a friend became a Creative Memories consultant, so I figured I'd give it a try. But being single, childless, and from a small family, I didn't have a lot of photos or events to scrapbook. Plus I found it to be overwhelming to have to put so much together to fill a 12"x12" page. I bought a bunch of supplies but never did anything with them.

Then 6 years ago, as something to do one day, a cousin and I went to a scrapbooking convention that was in town, and at it there was a Stampin Up demo doing make & takes. That hooked us both, although my cousin somehow managed to just accumulated a small stash and be happy with that. I liked that cards were small and (relatively) quick. I was able to use a lot of the supplies I had bought for scrapbooking, and added stamps in. (And added, and added...)

I was reminded by family members that I had made cards off and on all my life, including a phase when card making software first came out for computers. When my grandmother passed a way, tucked into her scrapbooks, she had saved a card I had made for her when I was 7 or so. It was a 18 page crayon masterpiece.

I knew I had found a hobby I could stick with when I realized I enjoyed just going through my stuff and organizing it. I haven't had much mojo to make cards lately, other than those required for birthdays and Christmas, but I still get a lot of therapy by just going thru my schtuff and re-organizing it.

QueenOfInkland

02-14-2013 06:19 PM

Another lifetime crafter here, but my stamping began 13 years ago when I saw a few stamps and inkpads in the craft aisle in Walmart. Looked like fun so I bought one stamp and one inkpad and I made a thank you card and had a blast! Someone who saw that card invited me to join their Stampin Up group and, as they say, the rest is history. I am so glad that I picked up that stamp and inkpad in Walmart.

pigtail1

02-14-2013 06:50 PM

remember Tri-Chem liquid embroidery?..I started doing that when I was about 6 or 7 yrs old...My mother's best friend was a demo...then knitting/crochet/regular embroidery/hooked rugs throughout my teens and twenties...never got into cross stitch...married my dh and we were sent to South Dakota by the US Air Force in 2002...my neighbor on base there was a hobby demo and I reluctantly went to a workshop (2003 or 2004)...oh wow!...many stamps/ink pads/cardstock/embellishments later it is a constant in my life...I found SCS in 2006 and my stamping really took off...thanks to all the talented crafters here I am constantly inspired...does anyone else wake up in the morning having dreamed a card you just have to create?

JoBear2

02-14-2013 09:09 PM

Great thread! Isn't it interesting to read everyone's background? I grew up thinking I wasn't the least bit artistic (I didn't do very well with art at school) and from age 18 had my own racing car and rally car and competed in races and rallies all over the state in which I now live. When I turned 30 (that is 20 years ago now) and then married with a mortgage, the engine in my racing car broke and I couldn't afford to fix it; my racing days were over. Shortly after, my husband and I were window-shopping one weekend and I noticed in a shop window of an Art Store a suitcase with an adorable teddy bear painted on it and the shop was offering painting lessons to paint teddy bears - it was called folk art here in Australia at the time (these days it is called decorative painting) but you call it tole painting in the USA. So, on a whim, I signed up with the teacher and had 6 lessons - which led to more lessons with various teachers over about 10 years and LOVED it! I moved on from there to doing cross-stitch as well as painting fabric and embroidery and doing stitcheries (you can see my painted teddy bear stitcheries on my blog - just look for the label 'stitcheries' on the LHS bar) and went to lots of crafts shows and 'collected' materials and embroidery supplies.

At one of those shows, I chanced upon a cardmaking demonstration of heat embossing and the lady stamped a sentiment and poured on gold embossing powder and heated it - and I went "WOW!" and bought a few supplies to make some Christmas cards. Soon after, I started buying some UK cardmaking magazines which usually came with freebie stamps, ribbons or a pad of papers and was really inspired by what I saw and suddenly around my area, Scrapbooking/Cardmaking stores sprung up everywhere (sadly, most are now closed). I think I almost lived at those stores LOL! In 2007, I was really sick and cardmaking kept my mind busy and helped ease the pain and it was really then that cardmaking took hold. In Sept 2008, I chanced upon my first cardmaking blog - Danielle Lounds 'Fat Cat Stamper' and then found Splitcoaststampers via link on her blog - and oh, I just love my cardmaking so much! It has helped me through the ups and downs of life and illness and I have friends from all over the world - and I feel so incredibly blessed :D Having painting lessons all those years ago has helped me with colouring my stamped images. So glad I signed up for those lessons on a whim........

happigirlcorgi

02-14-2013 09:28 PM

Fascinating thread!
Started scrapbooking 10+ years ago on a casual basis until I had to make a scrapbook for my mom's 75th birthday, and then I started buying cardstock and designer paper and a few punches. I've gone through 2 CM demos.
A friend I scrap with invited me to an SU workshop, which was fun, but I had always been terrible with stamps, and that first card was pretty horrendous. The workshop piece was fun, and I attended a few more, and ended up buying 3 ink pad and a stamp set, thinking (like someone else mentioned), that it would be all I would need. Buahahahahahahaha!
I now own easily 100+ stamp sets, have graduated to CTMH, Verve, and assorted other collections. I started taking a weekly card class at my LSS last fall, and I now am addicted to die cutting in addition to the paper, stamps, ink, pens, punches, adhesives, embossing powders and folders... thank Heavens my awesome husband is supportive and understanding.
On a side note - I have been working on a scrapbook for a funeral on Saturday, and have been unable to do any stamping this week. Is it a bad sign that I am getting the shakes? I miss my cards! :(

sprtchick

02-14-2013 10:34 PM

Love this thread. So fun seeing what got everyone hooked on stamping.

My two sisters got me hooked. They all lived across the country from me for 20 years and sent me cards. When I was finally able to move near them it took no time at all for me to become hooked. We all have nice stamp rooms full to bursting and spilling over into other rooms. We try to get together at least monthly with our other stamping friends to stamp. It is a wonderful hobby.
Blessings

jeannemlehrman

02-14-2013 10:47 PM

It is so much fun to read this thread. My friend invited me to a SU party in 1997. My first set was Holiday Hannah. I remember sitting in my car in my friend's driveway after the party thinking, "I am in so much trouble -- I want everything in that catalog." Jeanne

lylacfey

02-15-2013 12:42 AM

I have always been creative. I come from a creative family of artists, musician's writers. My Dad taught me how to stamp. He loved to do leatherwork. He had the beautiful leather stamps. He taught me how to use them. I fell in love with stamping as a young girl. Back then you could hardly buy any stamps. Your ink pads were limited to black, red and green. :) I stamped all through high school. I was into other creative things too.

College years I discovered needlework. My husband taught me. He learned from his Grandfather. I fell in love with needlework. I took a break from papercrafting. I still did paper craft but not as much.

In my late twenties I was using PaintShop Pro. I discovered these little mice called House Mouse. I was obsessed with House Mouse. My Mom went to Hobby Lobby and found all this House Mouse items for me. She gave me a House Mouse box filled with goodies. I went crazy. I was screaming "Where did you get this?" I ran down to Hobby Lobby to find new treasures. My DH found the rubber stamps. He bought me almost all of them. I went online and discovered I was really out of the loop and overwhelmed with the progression of stamping EVERYTHING! :)

I delved in and learned everything I could. I did go from a Rubbermaid box to a whole studio. :) That was a bit bonkers but I am happy. I do a variety of creative things from resin to art journaling. I am a voracious reader too. I am a gamer. I hardly watch TV.

lutheran

02-15-2013 03:54 AM

I started stamping as a kid. I liked to make stuff but I don't draw well so stamps made my stuff look great. I got serious about card making in 1992 (still have a few of those stamps) and added scrapping in 1998. That's about all I do beside the occasional sewing project. All other crafts have fallen by the wayside so I can stamp and scrap and watch TV.
Mary Beth

PSU Princess

02-15-2013 12:13 PM

This is my 10th anniversary with this hobby!

I've always been crafty since my mother taught me to sew when I was 5. Hand sewing progressed to crocheting, then sewing with a machine. I asked for my first sewing machine for Christmas when I was 12. I sewed doll clothes and later my prom dresses, then much later, I sewed clothes and cloth diapers for my kids.

I got into Creative Memories after I had kids because a friend sold it and I liked the idea of preserving precious memories of my children while they grew. I noticed my demo often used rubber stamps on her scrapbook pages instead of endless pages of letter stickers and I wanted to get some alphabet stamps to use with my scrapbooks.

I attended my first Stampin' Up party in 2003 and I've been hooked ever since. Now I have about 300 stamp sets, mostly SU, some PTI and TAC and I'm an avid collector of Elzybells stamps.

Almost everything I've learned about stamping, I learned on SCS and I'm very grateful for the community on here!

Brightdays

02-15-2013 12:46 PM

Cool thread. I have been a long time crafter. I learned to knit and crochet at 12. I scrapbooked for a while then that dropped off with more children. I still work with fiber.

My moms boss invited her to a SU party I guess 6-7 years ago now. I knew it was something I would love doing. My first set was a Halloween pumpkin set. I used to make cards all the time with my oldest son. He still speaks of those days fondly. Just don't tell his soccer buddies. ;)

I am slowly creeping back into my craft space and making cards again. I also use my supplies for PL pages.

Dockside

02-15-2013 05:19 PM

I'm another one who has come into stamping via scrapbooking. I had alway put my photographs into books but with the advent of digital photography got out of the habit of doing anything with my photos. My old neighbour had me over for a Creative Memories party and I got into scrapbooking as a way to bring my digital photographs to light. It seemed an easy progression to cardmaking from there. My sister-in-law made cards and I scrapbooked. We got together and hybridized our hobbies. Now we do both cards and scrapbooks. I love this hobby! I am a somewhat shy individual but stamping and cardmaking has allowed me to expand my social contacts and have fun with a group of like minded individuals. This site has allowed me to learn new techniques to share with my friends. What a wonderful place!

Allistamps123

02-15-2013 08:37 PM

I was teaching kindergarten and two parents started selling SU and holding classes. The rest is history!

Oddesigns

02-16-2013 10:10 AM

I wasn't much of a crafter. I sewed, because I was in the Society for Creative Anachronism and needed garb. I had a friend teach me how to bead and I made jewelry for a little while.

I started stamping because I wanted to make my own wrapping paper. I had a huge roll of kraft paper and a selection of foam stamps. I also once made a cool border in my bathroom, using black paint and a big star stamp.

I started my current job in 2000, and met a couple of ladies there who were card makers. They got me into it. I hosted a SU party, and started going to the yearly local expos with them.

karjor

02-16-2013 10:35 AM

I blame my sister! A year and a half ago, she visited me with brayering supplies, showed me how, introduced me to Splitcoast, and I signed up as an SU demo a month later. Darn her! I really enjoy this craft - relatively instant gratification (compared to say, crocheting a sweater over the course of many weeks), and a great creative outlet.

Oddesigns

02-16-2013 11:07 AM

[QUOTE=karjor;20009548I really enjoy this craft - relatively instant gratification (compared to say, crocheting a sweater over the course of many weeks), and a great creative outlet.[/QUOTE]

Oh you hit the nail on the head.

br3n

02-18-2013 04:17 PM

i had always been into crafting but was suffering from very bad tension headaches ,lots of stress and was looking for something new to distract me.heard about a stamp store that opened in our small town and went in.she hosted a making memories(i think was the name).i was hooked.then went thru layoff and got a big payout from the company so went on a buying spree.i always had problems seeing colors until 6 years ago and they did cataract surgery/lens implants and wow amazing it helped with colors also.havent uploaded ever but maybe someday.
br3n

jukie

02-19-2013 11:56 AM

br3n
- we would love to see your work :)

Margscardcrazy

02-20-2013 03:36 AM

Some of my earliest memories are of me colouring in, I love colour. I have always done craft and was accepted into Art College from school but my mother became ill and it just wasn't to be.

I tuned cooking into an art form for a while and I have always sewn making my own cloths from twelve years of age Which lead to patchwork and quilting.

About twelve years ago I was looking for some way of being creative without creating too much mess (ha, ha)

I wanted something that I could do at one sitting wouldn't cost a fortune in equipment (more laughing) and was practical ie I would save on the cost of greeting cards.(even more laughing)

I took myself off to my local craft shop that specialised in paper craft and very quickly became addicted to stamping.

I was introduced to parchment craft at the shop and for about five years did nothing but parchment craft (sometimes known as Pergamano) but the call of the stamp and the need to use vivid colours drew me back. A crafting friend told me about SCS and there you have it.

Totally addicted and thousands and thousands of stamps and equipment later I show no sign of loosing the urge to stamp.

My advice just sit back enjoy being creative there is nothing better for the soul.

Cheers

Nancy McKay

02-20-2013 04:23 AM

There is a saying on Pinterest that describes me, "I had no clue that ONE little rubber stamp purchase would lead to this...."
Nancy

JanaZiegler

02-20-2013 06:10 AM

Some ladies from our church were stampers years ago, and I was the recipient of some of their cards. I have to say, I was NOT impressed...:0( Then, a friend begged me to go to a SU workshop with her, so I humored her and went. I thought the whole thing was RIDICULOUS!!!! -- x number of dollars for ONE stamp set, then you have to have paper, then ink, then this, then that, and that's just for ONE sentiment....what do you do when you want to make a "different occasion" card???? -- go through the process all over again??? I think NOT!!! BUT....somewhere along the way....I got "bit"...(by the bug) and I began with a very few things, and now, I have my own "stamping room" (after our kids left the nest) and I have never turned back!! I have tried many other crafts, but none of them stuck like stamping. I LOVE making cards!!!! I am totally addicted to stamping products of all kinds, although, at this point, I am being more selective. Anyway, that's the gist of my story!!!

cakhuxel

02-20-2013 07:53 AM

I've been artsy and craftsy my whole life, but back when I started working with paper, around 1990, you didn't have much choice beyond Creative Memories. I always loved stamps but would get them home and then what? Trying to color my image like the color decal on the front of the stamp was a huge exercise in failure. Back then nobody ever suggested water color pencils, etc. You had Marvy markers and those impossible boxes of chalk, but no tools to color in the tiny bits. And no blending papers. Then one day I met my first Copic Marker and that was like the light bulb over my head. After that the world was catching up with me- Stampers Sampler and Rubberstamp Madness magazines, and books, so many wonderful books!

Stamping makes me really happy and calm. It's simply coloring, and who among us didn't love coloring when we were kids?

gritsnc

02-20-2013 09:32 AM

How addicted am I?

Nancy said it all: There is a saying on Pinterest that describes me, "I had no clue that ONE little rubber stamp purchase would lead to this...."

I've always had an interest in some kind of creative outlet - drawing, sewing, painting, crewel, cross-stitch, needlepoint, etc. But my sister has always been the more artistic one and is a phenomenal scrapbooker. I used to tease her about how many hours she could spend in a craft store browsing the scrapbooking aisles. As a little joke, I decided to make her a birthday card back in 2007. So I bought a stamp, inkpad, glue, and paper. I guess, when I put the inked stamp to paper, the ink migrated back up into my bloodstream. Then, when I watched Martha Stewart gold emboss a Christmas card, I turned to putty! Now, thousands of stamps, inks, tools, etc. later, my craft room runneth over!

I am so impressed with the quality of people who become cardmakers and paper crafters. Seriously, has anyone ever met one who couldn't wait to help you, show you how, and share their supplies with you? Talk about paying it forward...!!!

Like so many more, I began to run out of friends and relatives to send my cards. But last year I discovered the fantastic organization Operation Write Home. Now I have an unlimited outlet and hope I am making a difference in someone else's life.

dsp245

02-20-2013 11:45 AM

I am late boomer with stamping and paper crafting - so I still have lots to learn!

I started stamping 3 yrs ago wanting to meet some new friends and a new hobby after work. Found a Meetup group where my now upline was teaching classes and that was it for me! It's been a wonderful 3 yrs and going strong. I started as a hobby demo and making my own minimum and now am very lucky to be teaching classes and making some spending $$ at the same time!

Through this new hobby, I was able to get back to volunteering as well and making cards to donate to RMHC as well as OWH.

Texasrose

02-20-2013 12:07 PM

Gosh a long time ago and lots of stamps and supplies later.
I have always liked making and doing things. My daughter was going to college in another town and must have gone to some party. Can't remember exactly. She was trying to tell me about stamping and using e.p. over the phone. I couldn't figure out how she could get so excited about something to do with paper. Soon after we went to see her and she gave me and her sister a "demo" in her kitchen using the burner on the electric stove to melt the e.p. When I saw that e.p. melt into a beautiful gold design I was hooked! Later when the my other daughter was getting married she made her own programs etc. for her wedding. And at that time I bought a heat gun. Can't you just see the disaster of trying to make wedding programs using a stove burner! So we laugh when I blame my daughter for getting me into this. I love making cards and don't ask me to count my stamps or supplies. Someone made the comment that don't believe anyone who tells you how much money you can save making a card. My daughter laughed years ago about spending a huge amount of money to make a baby card for a shower. You don't do it to save money!

pipkyn

02-20-2013 02:20 PM

I am LOVING this thread!

I've had to laugh several times as others are remembering their earlier crafting forays. Yes, I remember Tri-chem -- used to have some of those. I was also an avid cross-stitcher when I was younger and my eyes and wrists cooperated.

I always say my brother got all the artistic talent in the family (he is an amazing artist). So when I discovered I could "paint" with thread, I took up embroidery, which led me to cross-stitch. But I also realized that I am an instant-gratification sort of girl. If the project wasn't a small magnet or bookmark I could finish in a few days, it didn't get done (I've finished only two larger projects ever --TWO! I have a closet full of started projects to prove it.)

In 1999 I was invited to an SU workshop. I went, thought it was interesting, bought a few stamping spots (can't remember if they were sold in a collection like today, or individually), some sponges and post-card sized glossy paper, and a sentiment stamp set (in foam!). I took it home and put it in a drawer, promptly forgotten (I was just beginning graduate school -- who had time for relaxing hobbies??)

In 2008 I was invited to my second SU workshop by a colleague. After that evening, I remembered the bag I had in the drawer. I wondered...could this be the same company? I retrieved the bag, pulled out the spots, and saw that they were indeed SU. I finally (!) opened one and found that after almost 10 years, it was still juicy!! That's when I realized it was a quality product.

I settled in with the catalog and marked every stamp set that looked cute and could be colored in -- I've always loved to color and we had used the watercolor crayons in the workshop -- it was love at first swipe with the waterbrush!

After a couple of orders that were over $100, my colleague, who had now become a demo, asked if I was willing to become a demo to receive the discount. I thought about it for a couple of days and then jumped. It's only taken me 3.5 years to get everything on my wish list -- and I mean everything! My sad 700sq ft apartment can attest to the fact that I have too much and nowhere to put it!

I'm still an SU hobby demo, and am technically my only customer. But I don't limit myself to only SU products. Someone else mentioned House Mouse, and I've become a huge fan -- thanks to Hobby Lobby's clearance rack. I also LOVE Penny Black Inc.'s hedgie collection -- I think I own every Transparent set they have.

I love all coloring mediums. I've been seeing a lot of folks using Inktense pencils, which I haven't tried yet. But I love watercolor crayons and pencils, Prismacolor pencils, SU markers, and I recently bought the entire set of Spectrum Noir (too good of a deal to pass up!)

Sadly, my mojo's been on haitus. But I still love looking at my supplies and exploring the galleries, blogs and videos of other cardmakers, including here at SCS.

Alleyoop

02-21-2013 05:06 AM

What a great thread! I was introduced to papercrafting and Stampin' Up! about 8 years ago through a lady at work who was also a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. I liked looking at the catalogue and seeing the cards she would make, but I thought the products were ridiculously expensive and couldn't understand why someone would go through the hassle of making a card at that price, when you could just go out and buy one for less money and time. I remember being so confused and surprised at the people I worked with who would get so excited when new catalogues or products would come out! I just did not get it! Boy, has that ever changed, lol! (much the annoyance of my hubby!)

Then, a few years ago, I was injured in a car accident and found myself off work. I was going stir crazy with nothing to do to fill up my days, and daytime tv had quickly lost it's shine, so I decided I'd best find myself a hobby. Due to my health restrictions, I needed something I could pick up and work on for short periods of time and could come back to if I needed to take a break. I wanted something that would allow me to have a finished project within a short amount of time in order to keep my interest in it. During this time, another co-worker had signed up to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and started posting her projects on Facebook. I thought I'd give it a try and it's been a life-saver for me. I'm still off work, but now I have something interesting and fun to do that also allows me to brighen other people's days with my cards and gifts. Even though I don't get to work on things as often as I'd like, I'm totally addicted to papercrafting, like all those people I used to work with were! Now I get it! :-)

Jamie VH

02-21-2013 10:34 AM

I started about 7 years ago with just a few things here and there. Attended a SU party while in college but couldn't afford to get stuff but the desire was there. Later when I started to get some disposable income I started slow. I got a lot of retired stamps from demo's garage sales and built it up slowly. Grew a good collection of stamps during Hobby Lobby's 50%off sales. It wasn't until this last 9 months I attended another SU party and signed up as a demo. I am by far my best customer with a few others thrown in. I just like to show people who think they aren't creative that it is easy and I love crafting socially.